Reclining rocking-chair



(No Model.)

I. w. JOHNSON.

REGLINING ROCKING CHAIR.

Nb. 357.205. Patented Feb. 8', 1887.

FFICE.

PATENT ISAAC w. .IoHNsoN, or SYOAMORE, ILLINOIS.

RECLINING ROCKING-CHAIR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 357,205, dated February 8, 1887.

Application filed October 25, 1.886. Serial No. 217,168. (No modcl.l

full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part'of this specification:

My invent-ion has reference to certain improvements in reclining rocking-chairs, as hereinafter described, whereby such chair is readily converted from areclining-chair to a rocking-chair, and vice versa, and whereby, also, the chair may retain the quality of rocking at different degrees or points of extension.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a chair embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a detail of the mechanism involved in looking the chair in different positions.

G is the base of the chair, constructed in the usual mode. I g

A A are the sides of the seat of the chair, (but one side shown,) the lower edges of which, being convex and resting on the top of the base G in the ordinary way, upon a slight oscillation give the necessary rocking motion.

H is the usual vertical coiled spring interposed between the seat A and the base G, to give greater elasticity in the operation of rocking. I use two of the springs H, one at each side, to attaingreater breadth of action.

B is the back of the chair, pivoted by means of a stop-hinge, B, to the rear extremity of the side on rocker A. The portion of the hinge B which is attached to the rocker A is furnished with shoulders a a, which at the limits of the folding process engage, respectively, recesses 22 b, formed in the portion of the hinge B attached to the back B, and thus contribute to the rigidity of the chair when the latter is at the two extremes of its action.

0 is the side or arm rail, having its rear end pivoted at B to the back B, and its front end pivoted at D to the side D of the leg-rest D A suitable continuous cushion (not sh own) exat any desired point.

tends the width of the chair from near the top of the back 13 down over the seat A and to the lower end of the leg-rest D The sides D of the leg-rest D are respectively hinged to the front corner of the seat A, and when the back B is thrown backward in the direction of the arrow the arms 0 are drawn backward also, and draw with them the upper end of the leg-rest D in the direction of the arrow. Such leg-rest being fulcrumed at D, the lower end thereof is thrown forward and the chair moved into any desired reclining position. M

' Coiled springs E, attached, respectively, in a diagonal position to the seat A and leg-rest D, assist the occupant to bring the chair to the upright position.

Toothed racks or ratchets i are placed under the arm 0, with their ratcheted surface downward, and pawls I are pivoted at their lower ends in sockets I, attached to the back B, near the angle of the latter with the seat A, and are adapted at their upper ends to engage the ratchets i, and thus temporarily hold the chair in any desired position. A spring-wire, 0 attached to the inner side of the arm 0, parallel therewith, and provided at one end with the coil 0", is passed loosely through a horizontal pivoted post, t, on the pawl I, and serves to hold the latter in engagement with the rack i.

The pawl I is released from engagement with the rack t" as follows: In each arm 0 is transversely journaled a short rock-shaft, 0, provided on the outside of the arm 0, Fig. 1, with the cross-head O. The inner end of the shaft 0 is formed into a crank, c, on the wrist of which isseated the friction-roller 0', having a grooved periphery which rides on the springwire 0 The cross-head G is set perpendicular to the projections from shaft 0 of the crank c, and the operator by grasping the cross-head G and turning the same to the horizontal position forces the spring-wire c" downward, and thus releases the pawl I and renders the chair susceptible of adjustment to any desired position. A reverse movement of said crosshead 0 permits the spring-wire 0 to throw said pawl into engagement and lock the chair If desired, the ratchetplate 11 can be furnished with ratchets having but one engaging side, in which condition the head 0 pawl I will work automatically in one direction without the occupant using the cross- F is a foot-rest sustained by supports F, which latter are pivoted at their junction to a horizontal bracket, F seated on the front side of the leg-rest D.

By turning the foot-rest F downward, as shown in Fig. 1, such rest is lowered, and by turning said foot-rest upward, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, said foot-rest is raised, and thus the latter is adjusted to occupants of different length of limb.

One important advantage of my invention is that therein the entire body of the occupant is rocked, including the feet, the parts of the invention being so interarranged that the slightest movement of the body of the occupant will produce a rocking motion, the pivoted support of the seat A moving backward as the chair is extended. i

I do not claim, broadly, a locking ratchet and paw], but such only in combination with l the convenient means shown for operating and 1 regulating such, whereby said pawl can be released or suffered to engage by the occupantwhile in any position on the chair. i

\Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. The combination of the base G, the seat A, provided with a rocker bottom and seated on said base, the back B, hinged to said seat, the leg-rest D", hinged to said seat, the arms 0, provided with ratchets i, and piv'otally connecting the said back to the upper end of the leg-rest D, the pawl I, and spring-wire c, and means for pressing said wire downward, so as to hold said pawl in and out of engagement, substantially as shown, and for the purpose mentioned.

2. The combination of the back B, arms 0, provided with ratchcts i, and pivoted to said back, pawl I, spring-wire c", and rock-shaft 0, provided with cross-head C, and crank a, substantially as shown, and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof Iaffix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ISAAC W. JOHNSON.

\Vitnesses:

THOS. K. FAGEY, C. N. RUSSELL. 

